Remember
by Jajjo
Summary: Caroline and Klaus are the definition of true love but are painfully unaware of it. They live separate lives in separate towns. But what happens one day when Klaus finds an unconscious woman just outside of New Orleans. A woman with no memory and no name. AU/AH.
1. The Trail

**A/N:** Welcome to my Chrstimas Fic. This is going to be a short story that will updated until Christmas Eve (first four chapters will be posted the following four days and after that, the remaining chapters, will be posted every other day). For my full Christmas Schedule: visit FinlandiatipuX's fanpage on Facebook.

Please note that this is AU and AH. Some characters have been altered and that does not mean that I see them with such personalities on the actual show.

* * *

**Chapter 1**  
**- The trail -**

It was a beautiful day. The sky was blue and the temperature was warm enough that you could leave your jacket at home. So by all means it was a perfect day for an artist to feel inspired and finish one of his paintings. Yet, Klaus Mikaelsson found himself terribly uninspired. He had stared at his canvas for hours now, hating each outline that he had drew the night before.

_I need a drink._

It was noon. Even Klaus knew that it might be a tad too soon for a drink. Even if he could play the suffering artist card.

Tired of feeling like a failure, he got up and walked over to the kitchen counter and picked up his phone. If he couldn't drink then at least he could take a break and hang out with Marcel, one of his closest friends.

Klaus leaned against the counter and waited for Marcel to pick up.

"Hello?"

_Well, that didn't take long._

"Hello Marcel."

"Klaus. Aren't you supposed to be painting?"

Klaus rolled his eyes. "I am. But unfortunately I can't paint anything that doesn't make me cringe." He paused for a moment and looked outside. It truly was a beautiful day. "So I was hoping to tempt my best mate to join me for a hike."

Marcel stayed quiet and Klaus could hear him moving around in his apartment. Finally he replied. "I would love to but I'm supposed to meet up with Rebekah in thirty minutes. Lunch date."

Rebekah was Klaus' younger sister and Marcel's girlfriend. Klaus hadn't been too keen on the idea of them dating at first but after watching them date for about three years, Klaus had to admit that they seemed pretty perfect together.

"So it has finally happened. I have been replaced by my sister." Klaus spoke in a dramatic tone.

Marcel chuckled. "Well she does manage to please me in ways that you can't."

Klaus' amusement died out. "Marcel-"

"-I know, I know. Red line, forbidden topic. Forget I ever mentioned it."

_Gladly._

As happy as he was for his sister and best friend, Klaus didn't really feel like imagining their sex life. Or talking with Marcel about his little sisters bedroom adventures. No, some things were just best left alone.

* * *

Marcel's lunch plans with Rebekah wasn't going to stop Klaus from hiking. Instead he grabbed his hiking gear, pulled out an unopened water bottle from his refrigerators and got into his car and started driving. His favorite hiking trail wasn't far from his place, maybe a ten minute drive tops. The weather forecast on the radio announced that the weather would remain the same for the rest of the day.

Pulling up his car to the familiar parking lot, Klaus got out and breathed in the fresh air. There was nothing like it. He had discovered hiking a few years back when his older brother, Elijah, had taken Klaus with him on one. They hiked a few times together after that as well but when Elijah met his wife Katherine and moved to another town, the brotherly hikes had become very rare. Luckily Klaus still had Marcel who enjoyed hiking just as much, even if he too seemed to prefer his love life over fresh air and exercise. At least Klaus didn't need to worry about that. His love life was very much non-existing at the moment. There had been a girl a while back, Camille, but it hadn't worked out. So no, Klaus didn't need to worry about a lover taking hiking away from him.

* * *

It had probably been an hour since he started walking and Klaus could feel the sweat trickling down his forehead. To him there was nothing more satisfying than the feeling of the sun on his back and sweat escaping his pores as he pushed himself even further and continues climbing the trail towards the top of the hill. In the distance the car engines were making noises, reminding Klaus that even if he was out in the nature and free of all his worries, the reality wasn't too far away.

Another ten minutes passed until Klaus reached his designated resting point. The trail was divided into two separate trails at this place and Klaus had always felt like it was a proper place to take a few minutes to hydrate himself and decide if he wanted to take the longer or shorter route, which was exactly what the two trails represented. The one on the left was longer and usually Klaus' number one choice when he needed to blow off some steam. But today he might just go for the shorter one. It was already after three o'clock in the afternoon and Klaus wanted to be back before dark. So the shorter route was the smarter choice. Swallowing his water in hasty and thirsty gulps, Klaus closed his eyes for a moment. He could still hear the cars. Which wasn't too surprising since this was one of the check points closest to the high way.

Swallowing another mouthful of water, Klaus opened his eyes and took in his surroundings. It was so green. He liked green. It calmed him. Klaus' gaze followed the outline of the trees, the rocks and…an unfamiliar shape next to one of the bigger rocks that Klaus sometimes used to lean against when stretching.

_The hell?_

Walking slowly towards it, Klaus' tried to identify what exactly he was looking at. It was colorful: blue, green, white and blonde.

_Blonde?_

His eyes widened. He was looking at hair. Blonde hair.

"Shit!"

When the realization of hair sunk in the rest of the shape made sense. Legs covered in jeans, white boots on the feet and a green jacket hugging the upper torso. It was a person. A woman.

Klaus hurried over. He knelt down next to her, slowly turning the woman to face him. What his eyes saw shocked Klaus to the very core.

The woman was unconscious. Which probably was a good thing considering how she looked. Her face was bruised, swollen and…

_And bloody._

Dried up blood was plastered along her face. Most of it around her nose.

She was a mess. There was no other explanation for it. But considering her clothes she wasn't a homeless person. Which only made Klaus more concerned. If she wasn't homeless then she had a life. She probably had people who cared about her. So why was she alone and unconscious and in the woods?

Gently stroking her hair away from her face, Klaus tried to find some sign of consciousness. When he found none he dug out his phone from his pocket.

_Good thing I didn't leave my phone in the car._

He glanced at the woman before unlocking his phone.

"Shit."

No signal.

"There goes the idea to call you some help, girl."

He placed his phone back in his pocket before thinking about his options.

He couldn't leave her here. But moving her probably wasn't the smartest option either. He had only examined her face, who knew what kind of internal injuries she could have. And Klaus was no doctor nor did he know how to safely move an injured person.

Then again: leaving her and going to find help could also be bad. She could have been out here for hours, if not days, and maybe if he left now and came back in an hour, with help, it would be too late.

_Come on, she's probably not THAT hurt._

Taking a deep breath, Klaus found himself with only one option. He had to carry her. That was the fastest way to get her to the hospital. The high way was pretty close. If he could get her there then he could probably get someone to drive them to the hospital. And if all else failed he would at least have a signal by the side of the road so that he could call an ambulance.

"I guess we're walking then, sweetheart."

He almost hoped that she would reply. So that he would feel slightly more certain about his decision. Of course, there was no reply and Klaus cursed under his breath before gently taking her in his arms and lifting her up, carefully placing her head to rest against his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry if this makes things worse for you. But do me a favor and hang on until I get you some help."

He took another deep breath and started walking.

* * *

_"Jane Doe, About 20 years old. Found by one of the hiking trails just outside of town. Blood pressure 85/50. Pulse 92. Cracked ribs and a broken nose. Possible internal bleeding."_

Klaus was sitting in the waiting room, a paper cup filled with coffee in his left hand. The coffee had gone cold a while ago. He was repeating in his head what the doctors had said when they'd examined the girl. Klaus had been lucky when it came to getting her help. He had walked, half jogged, toward the high way and a red Volvo was just about to pass the forest when Klaus managed to get enough into view to catch the drivers attention. He'd explained where he'd found the girl and that she needed to get to the hospital. The driver hadn't even hesitated. And for the first time in his life, Klaus hadn't hesitated either about getting into a car whose owner he knew nothing about.

They'd arrived to the hospital pretty quickly and the doctors took over. Klaus had followed them at first but been asked to wait in the waiting room. At some point a nurse had come and sat with him, asking if he could tell them anything about the girl. Her name, age, blood type…anything that could help them. But Klaus had no clue about anything that the nurse asked so he only shook his head and told her that he had found her in the woods. The nurse had eventually gotten up, brought over some coffee and then left.

Klaus had sat quietly by himself ever since.

He could leave of course. He didn't really have any obligation to stay. The girl was at the hospital. She was safe. When she woke up she would probably tell the doctors who she was and they would get in touch with her family. Yet, Klaus couldn't bring himself to get up and leave. He'd found her. He wanted to know what had happened. And no matter how much mumbo jumbo the doctors threw at him, it was only the girl who could tell him what really happened.

So he waited. It felt like forever before a man, dressed in blue scrubs, came into the waiting area and walked towards Klaus.

"You're the one who brought it Jane Doe, right?"

Klaus stood up. "Yes. I found her by the hiking trail just outside of town." He wasn't sure how many times he'd said that phrase the last few hours.

The doctor nodded. "I'm Doctor Maxwell." He didn't make an attempt to shake Klaus' hand so Klaus simply stood there and waited for him to go on. "The patient suffers from a pretty bad concussion. She has a few broken ribs and her nose was broken. We've set the nose right and it should be as good as new in a few weeks. She also suffered from some internal bleeding. Luckily you found her before the bleeding did too much damage. We were able to get her stable and she'll be awake in a few hours. We'll know more then. I just wanted to give you an update since you're clearly not planning on leaving until she wakes up." The doctor gave a stiff smile, as if he had something against Klaus being concerned about the girl's wellbeing.

"Right." Klaus looked towards the hallway, wondering what room she was resting in. "Will you let me know when she's awake?"

Doctor Maxwell nodded.

"Thank you."


	2. Lily

**Chapter 2**  
**- Lily -**

"Mr. Mikaelsson?" Klaus jerked away by the mention of his name. He hadn't exactly been asleep but he'd been enough gone not to hear the nurse walk up to him. She had a gentle smile plastered on her face. "Mr. Mikaelsson, Jane Doe is awake. She's asking for you."

She was asking for him? Klaus hadn't expected that. But then again if Klaus had been the one in a hospital bed he would probably also want to see the person who got him to the hospital. So maybe it made sense for the girl to want to see him.

He cleared his throat and got up. "Can I see her now?"

The nurse gestured for him to follow her. "She's still exhausted and we're monitoring her closely. But I'm sure a short visit won't hurt. Just try not to get her upset. We want to give her a proper chance to recover from all her injuries."

Klaus simply nodded, not really caring if the nurse could see his nod or not.

They walked down the hall and Klaus couldn't help but glance inside each room in case he would see the familiar blonde. Eventually the nurse stopped by a room with a closed door.

"Ten minutes. She really needs to rest after that."

"Thank you."

Klaus was left alone and he looked at the door. He felt slightly nervous. Why did he feel nervous? He knew what was going to happen.

_Maybe that's just it. She's awake now, mate. She might be completely different from what you've imagined. _

During all those hours of waiting to hear some news, Klaus had come up with numerous versions of Jane Doe. One of the versions was rich brat who had pissed off the wrong person. Another version was a shy girl from New Orleans who had fallen down while attempting to hike.

_Well, here we go_.

Klaus opened the door and walked in, gently closing the door behind him. The room was small, smelled like a hospital and had a single bed placed in the middle of the room. The bed was occupied by a familiar blonde. A blonde who was very much awake and looking right at him with a wondrous expression. Klaus wasn't entirely sure what to say. Luckily she beat him to it.

"Hi." She seemed as unsure of what to say as he did. "You're him? The one who found me?"

Klaus nodded. "That's me." It felt strange talking to her. Klaus had gotten used to their one sided discussions. "How are you feeling?" He realized that he still didn't know her name. "I'm Klaus."

The girl looked at him, one of her eyebrows slightly raised. "You're British."

Klaus smirked. "And you're observant, sweetheart. I moved here when I was nine. Therefore, I still have my accent. Now let's circle back, shall we?" The girl only looked at him confused so Klaus sighed and repeated his last line. "My name is Klaus. What's yours?"

The girl's expression saddened and Klaus' brow furrowed. What had he said that made her look at him like that?

Her shoulder shook a little and Klaus wondered if she was cold until he realized that she was probably trying to suppress tears. After a second glance at her face, Klaus could tell that she had been crying not long ago. Her eyes were still slightly red and puffy.

"Love, are you alright?" He didn't know if he should walk up to her or stay by the door. Considering he didn't know her, staying by the door seemed like the safer option.

A few seconds passed before the girl got herself together and raised her gaze to meet his. "I'm sorry. It's been kind of an emotional day. I-" She paused and bit her lip. It made her look very young and innocent, Klaus thought.

"Klaus." She spoke his name softly, her expression still sad. "I figured they would have told you before."

"Told me what?" Klaus now took a step forward and sat down in the chair, placed next to the bed.

"I hit my head pretty bad it would seem and I can't exactly remember."

"Can't exactly remember what?" Klaus was confused. Maybe she had trouble recalling what had happened and wanted him to fill in the blanks. Not that he would be able to.

The girl took a deep breath, as if preparing herself. "Anything. I don't remember what happened, where I was going, where I came from and most importantly who I am." Her voice cracked at the end and Klaus tried to keep himself composed. She didn't remember. Anything.

_Shit._

"How can you not remember?" He hadn't meant to ask her that but somehow he had. Probably not the best move since tears were running down her face.

_And you were supposed to keep her calm._

"I don't know. I'm not a nurse or a doctor, Klaus." She spoke half sobbing, half laughing. As if there was anything funny about this situation.

"But what about ID? Didn't you have a wallet on you?" He'd never checked but he assumed she would have had something personal on her. A wallet, a phone…anything really.

The girl shook her head. "No. It was all gone. The doctors believe that whoever did this to me probably tried to make it look like a robbery. Who knows, maybe I was robbed."

Klaus shook his head. "No. If you were robbed the people wouldn't have bothered to drag you out to the woods. Too much of a hassle. Whoever did this to you was hoping that by the time someone found you it would be too late and they wouldn't be able to ID you."

He heard her gasp. What he had just said probably wasn't too comforting but it was the truth. Of course, Klaus couldn't understand why someone would want to hurt her that bad. She seemed like a lovely person. Scared, obviously, but lovely. She wasn't too bad to look at either, even if she was bruised at the moment. Klaus could tell that she had blue eyes and her face probably had perfect angles under all that swelling. Her hair was long and blonde and what Klaus could recall, from when he found her, she had a slender body as well. Overall she was a pretty girl. So why would someone want to hurt her?

Unless…

Klaus felt awkward about it but he had to ask. "The doctors didn't want to tell me too much since I'm not family but did they tell you if your attacker did-" He watched her as he spoke, trying to convince her with his gaze that he wasn't asking as a pervert but because he was concerned. "-force himself on you?"

He watched her gaze widen and a small blush appear on her face. She shook her head. "No. They didn't. That's why the doctors think it might have been a robbery."

_Or someone really wanted you dead._

Klaus didn't say anything. He figured that whatever he wanted to say would probably only upset her more.

The door opened to the room and the familiar nurse peeked her head in. "I'm sorry. But she really needs to get some rest."

Klaus nodded and got up, not really sure what he should say. But once again, the girl beat him to it.

"Klaus?" She waited for him to look at her before continuing. "Could you come back tomorrow? Right now you're the only one I know and it would be nice to have some company."

Could he come back? He didn't really have anything else to do. Except finish that painting. But somehow keeping this girl company seemed more important than the pastor's painting of his childhood home. Yeah, the pastor's painting could probably wait another day. Klaus looked towards the nurse.

"What time are visiting hours?"

She smiled. "Between 10 am and 2 pm."

He nodded. "I'll be here at 10 am then." He turned to look at the blonde girl again. She had a small smile on her lips. "Get some rest. I'll see you tomorrow."

"I'll see you tomorrow, Klaus."

* * *

Klaus arrived at the hospital at 09:59am the following day. He'd picked up breakfast along the way, figuring that the girl probably wouldn't mind too much if he ate a croissant while keeping her company. And if she did: he'd bought her one too. Just in case.

Knocking on the door, Klaus waited to see if she was awake. Who knew, maybe they'd even drugged her to get her to rest.

The door opened and an unfamiliar nurse greeted Klaus. There must have been a shift change while Klaus went home. The nurse smiled.

"You can come in. I just finished changing her bandages."

Klaus looked over the nurse's shoulder and his eyes met with blue ones. She was sitting up in her bed, a tray of untouched food next to her.

_To be fair, I wouldn't eat hospital food either._

She smiled at him. "Good morning, sleepy head."

Klaus raised an eyebrow and walked in, sitting down in the chair that was placed next to the bed. "Sleepy head?"

The girl nodded. "Your hair is tussled and you look like you've just rolled out of bed." She eyed the paper bag in Klaus' hand. "And if I'm not mistaken, you brought your breakfast with you."

He couldn't help but to smile. "You truly are observant, sweetheart."

Klaus pulled out a croissant from the paperbag and offered it to her. Realizing only afterwards that maybe she wasn't allowed to eat it. "Are you on some strict hospital diet?"

She shook her head and snagged the freshly baked bread from his hand. "Nope. But I've been dying to get some real food in me." She took a bite and smiled, her mouth still full of food. She looked adorable. She also looked like a chipmunk. Klaus laughed and took a bite from the other croissant.

They ate in silence and when they were done, the girl leaned back against the bed and smiled lazily at Klaus. "Thanks for breakfast."

"Don't mention it, sweetheart."

She rolled her eyes. "You're right. I should probably start by thanking you for getting me here yesterday."

Klaus leaned forward, his elbows resting against his thighs. "I'm not looking for a thank you, you know."

"I know." She sat back up and folded her hands in her lap. "But I have to at least try and thank you for saving my life."

She was so kind. Klaus really didn't understand how someone would want to hurt her.

"Any news on your, how to say it kindly, memory problem?" He gave her a sympathetic look.

The girl shook her head. "No. I was hoping I would wake up today and remember everything. That yesterday was just a fluke." She bit her lip. "Guess I'm still Jane Doe."

She looked so sad and Klaus felt like he should do something to make her smile.

_Can you give her back her memories? I don't think any other act will make her happy. _

Yeah, he wasn't going to be able to help her piece together her life. But maybe he could give her a temporary one.

"How about we call you something else than Jane?"

He watched her brow furrow and he smiled gently, resisting to place his hand on hers. The last thing Klaus needed was to make her freak.

"What do you mean?" Her face still wore that confused expression.

"I just thought that maybe we could give you a temporary name. Something less boring."

She smiled then, nodding her head once. "Yeah, maybe."

Klaus straightened up. "What should we call you?"

It was a strange question to ask and neither of them had an immediate answer. So they sat in silence, pondering over their options.

Trying to find some inspiration, Klaus looked around the room. There wasn't much to draw inspiration from but a small vase with lilies gave him an idea. Without taking his eyes off the flowers, Klaus spoke. "How about Lily?"

The girl looked over at where he was looking and smiled again. "Lily." She took a moment to try the name out before beaming. "I like it."


	3. The look

**A/N:** Thank you guys for all the story follows and also for the reviews. It's so nice to see that you guys are enjoying this fic even if it's a very spontaneous one and not nearly as well written as it could be. For those of you who are wondering: the fic will be completed before Christmas and updated regularly. A full posting schedule can be viewed over at FinlandiatipuX's facebook fan page.

* * *

**Chapter 3**  
**- The look -**

Days passed and Klaus continued to visit Lily. He wasn't quite sure how he'd ended up going to the hospital every day. But he did.

Lily was doing much better. The swelling was starting to go down and the bruises were starting to look more yellow than purple. Definitely a step in the right direction. The police had stopped by a few times, asking questions about the hiking trail and if Lily could remember anything from before the accident. She couldn't. That was the one thing that hadn't changed.

She didn't let it defeat her though, or at least that's what Klaus thought. It was hard to read Lily since Klaus really didn't know anything about her. Then again, neither did Lily. So it was a learning process for the both of them.

Usually, when Klaus visited, they would talk about what he'd been up to. Lily seemed genuinely interested in hearing about his art and how he would call up Marcel for a drink when he had nothing else to do. She'd even made him promise to introduce her to Marcel someday.

They were sitting in her room, as they did every day. Lily was talking about different cities she wanted to go to after she got out of the hospital. Something about wanting to live life to the fullest now that she was recovering.

"Paris, Tokyo, Rome…there are so many places I want to see." She smiled and looked at Klaus. "Have you ever been?"

"I have." he slumped back against the chair. "We spent one Christmas in Paris with my siblings. It was the year after my parents split up. And I've been to Rome once on business."

"That sounds nice." Lily got that familiar look in her eyes. The look that Klaus liked to call _your look of wanting something._ He'd first seen it when he brought a bar of chocolate with him one day to the hospital.

"I'll take you."

Their eyes locked and they smiled at each other. It wasn't an unfamiliar moment to them. They've shared plenty of stares and smiles the past week. Lily seemed to be good at capturing Klaus' gaze and force a smile out of him. Sometimes he wondered just how she did it considering they didn't even know each other that well.

"I don't think you could afford all those plane tickets, Mr. Suffering Artist."

Klaus laughed. "Ouch. You wound me, woman."

The door opened to the room and Nurse Marshall, the same nurse who had sat with Klaus the first night at the hospital, poked her head in. "I'm sorry, guys. But it's time for some tests. Do you mind waiting outside, Klaus?"

Klaus nodded. He liked Nurse Marshall. She was one of the few who didn't find it odd that he kept on visiting the girl who had no memory of her own life.

"I need to get going anyway. I have some painting to do."

Lily looked up. "Are you coming back later?"

He shook his head. "Can't. I promised Rebekah we would drive to Elijah's. He and Katherine want us over for dinner."

"Oh."

Lily hated being alone at the hospital. She'd told him that the smell of ridiculously clean air gave her the creeps.

Nurse Marshall cleared her throat. "My shift doesn't end until midnight so I'm sure I can keep Lily some company."

Yes, Klaus definitely liked Nurse Marshall. And by the looks of Lily's smile, she did too.

"Hug?" Lily spread out her arms and Klaus rolled his eyes. A hug goodbye had been their thing for the past three days. Lily said it was because Klaus always smelled like coffee and paint. Two scents she seemed to enjoy.

Klaus leaned in and placed his arms around her, still very careful not to hurt her. His head leaned on her shoulder and her hair covered his nose, causing Klaus to inhale the familiar vanilla scent that always surrounded her. She must have gotten Nurse Marshall to get her some scented shampoo. And Klaus approved. The vanilla somehow matched so well with Lily's personality.

"Have fun at Elijah's." Lily pulled back and gave Klaus one of her sweeter smiles. "Remember to bring me a doggy bag."

Klaus looked over at Nurse Marshall and they both rolled their eyes. Lily was a food monster. It was sort of amazing that she managed to have her figure and still swallow all that food. "I promise. If there will be any leftovers. Kol might be in town and trust me, if my brother is in town the dinner table will be cleaned up by seven o'clock."

Lily made a face and Klaus ruffled her hair. "Be nice to, Haley. I'll see you tomorrow."

"You know she prefers Nurse Marshall, makes her feel more special."

Haley, cleared her throat. "I'm right here, guys. Now Klaus, get out of here. I need to get this one tested before the sun sets."

* * *

"Are you sure about this?" Rebekah was watching her brother with a suspicious look. "Maybe she's not up for this."

They were walking towards the hospital from where they've parked their car.

"I'm sure, Bekah. She wants to meet you guys. And I'm sure she won't mind the surprise. She seems rather fond of surprises." Klaus smiled, thinking back to one of the times when he'd brought her some magazines to read. She still thanked him for those tabloids.

Marcel pulled Rebekah to his side. "Don't worry, Rebekah. I for one can't wait to meet the woman who has your brother rushing to the hospital each morning."

They arrived at the lobby and Klaus pushed the button to call down the elevator. A doctor walked by and greeted Klaus, clearly used to seeing him there.

"So Klaus," Marcel gave his best friend a knowing look. "Any chance that this girl might be a little more than just a damsel in distress?"

Klaus had heard that question a few times now. Mostly from Rebekah who seemed convinced that Klaus had found Lily for a reason. Fate. Destiny. True love. His sister was a tad obsessed with romance.

The elevator arrived and they stepped in.

"As I've told you multiple times already, Lily is just…a friend." He wasn't really sure if friend was the correct term to use but it seemed the most appropriate.

"Uhu, And Santa is also real." Rebekah nudged Klaus. "Come on, Nik. You visit her every day. You spend hours in that tiny room. Clearly you aren't here for the sucky food. You're here for the girl."

"I'm the only person she has." That wasn't a lie. Lily really didn't have anyone. The police had been in to snap a few pictures of her, sending them out to local police stations close by. So far, no one had claimed her.

The elevator arrived at the fourth floor and they got out. Marcel and Rebekah followed Klaus who was walking towards the end of the corridor where Lily's room was located.

A few nurses greeted him on their way, eyeing Rebekah and Marcel with a questioning look.

Klaus stopped in front of Lily's room, glad to find the door closed. He turned to face his sister and best friend. "And not a word of your love nonsense, understood?"

Rebekah made a face and Marcel gave Klaus a mocking salute.

_How did I end up with such idiots in my life?_

Klaus opened the door.

* * *

The visit had gone better than Klaus had expected. Lily had been pleasantly surprised when she saw that Klaus had brought Rebekah and Marcel with him. They'd sat and talked, Klaus sitting next to Lily on the bed, giving Marcel and Rebekah the two chairs that were located in the room.

Rebekah had managed to bring up a few embarrassing stories during the visit but Lily seemed to adore them all. She's listened to how Klaus had gotten Elijah grounded for something that hadn't even been his fault. She'd laughed when Rebekah told her how their mother always called Klaus by his full name when he was caught doing something he wasn't supposed to do. She'd even given Klaus a comforting pat on the back when Rebekah revealed that Klaus had once been forgotten at the supermarket by their father.

"Thank you for today."

Klaus and Lily were sitting in her bed. It was just after seven in the evening and one of the nurses had already been in to tell Klaus that he needed to leave soon. He couldn't really complain considering how nice all the nurses had been about him being there before and after visiting hours. Klaus suspected that part of their kindness was also sympathy towards Lily who didn't have anyone else.

"You're welcome. I'm sorry you had to endure all those stories, though. Rebekah really should know when to keep her mouth shut."

Lily smiled and placed her hand on Klaus'. Something that surprised him. He looked up from their touching hands and was met with a gentle blue gaze.

"I loved those stories. And I like Rebekah too. She reminds me so much of you."

They looked into each other's eyes and silence fell around them. Suddenly Klaus was very much aware how quiet it was in the room. The door was closed. There was no one else in the room expect for the two of them. They were facing each other, legs crossed on the bed.

"I know you liked the stories, love. That doesn't mean I wanted you to hear them." He gave her a lazy grin and she returned it with another smile.

"Stop being such a bore, Niklaus."

He groaned. "I should have known you would pick up on that name."

He'd never used his full name with her. He liked Klaus. It was short and exotic enough for Americans.

"Seriously, stop being such a bore!" Lily laughed. "I like your name. It suits you."

Klaus watched her face. She looked so carefree when she laughed. It made him happy.

"Well if you really must, I suppose you can call me Niklaus." He looked back down at their hands. Lily's hand was still placed over his.

Lily's laughter died out. "Wait."

Klaus looked up to see that her smile had died out as well.

"Don't you want me to call you Niklaus?"

Klaus sat quiet for a few seconds, watching Lily bite her lip, something that he'd come to recognize as hell tell when she was nervous. Finally he replied.

"No. I'm just not used to people calling me that. Usually only my family calls me that. Or Marcel from time to time."

Lily seemed surprised by his reply. "And you're sure you don't mind if I call you that as well?"

He smiled and placed his other hand over hers. "No. I can get used to it."

Lily's mouth opened to say something but whatever she was going to say died out before she got it out. Instead she sat there, lips slightly parted and looked at him. There was something in her eyes that made Klaus raise an eyebrow. He didn't recognize that look. It was something new.

But when her lips met with his, Klaus realized that that must have been Lily's look for when she wanted something and went after it.

And went after it she did.

* * *

**A/N:** Slightly shorter chapter but still an important one. Next chapter will be up tomorrow.


	4. Found You

**Chapter 4**  
**- Found you -**

Klaus opened his eyes. He was looking at the familiar ceiling in his bedroom. It was morning. It was _the morning_ after. A smile played on his lips as he recalled last night. How her lips had moved softly against his, how he'd touched her hair and pulled her close. How she'd gasped when she felt her body against his. All in all, it had been one fantastic kiss. They'd been interrupted by Klaus' phone, alerting him that Marcel was in the parking lot, waiting for Klaus to haul his ass out for a drink. Lily had smiled towards Klaus as he got out of bed, wishing him a good night. He'd smiled back and leaned in to give her a quick peck on the lips. The nurse poked her head in again, telling Klaus that he really did need to go. And he had, telling Lily he would be by first thing in the morning.

It was now morning.

Klaus got out of bed. He pulled on a pair of jeans and a dark green henley shirt that Lily had complimented when he'd worn it one day while visiting. Somehow it seemed appropriate to wear that shirt today.

His phone buzzed, showing Rebekah's name on the caller ID. Klaus let it go to voice mail. It was ten o'clock and he was late for the hospital. Rebekah could wait.

Once he left the apartment, Klaus headed into town. He stopped first by his favorite bakery, picking up two croissants. Lily would love it. She still couldn't stand the hospital food even if she'd eaten it for about two weeks. After the bakery, Klaus headed to Devina's flower shop. The young girl, in her early twenties, looked surprised to see Klaus there. She seemed even more surprised when he asked her to throw together a bouquet of lilies.

"Trying to impress someone?"

Klaus nodded. "Something like that. Visiting a friend at the hospital."

Devina raised her eyebrow and glanced down to the ten lilies she was assembling into a neat bunch. "Must be a very special friend."

Her voice was teasing but Klaus ignored her, handing her the money and saying his thanks as he picked up the finished bouquet and headed out the door. It was almost eleven.

_Shouldn't have slept in._

Driving towards the hospital, Klaus was thinking about what exactly would happen when he got there. Hopefully Lily would like the flowers. They were her favorites after all. Or at least one of her favorites. Now more than ever did it annoy Klaus that he had no idea what her real favorite things were. Favorite movie, favorite book, favorite food…there was so much to learn about her. He made a mental note to quiz her about all these things later.

Rebekah's name flashed on Klaus' phone again and he pressed the ignore button, getting slightly annoyed with the fact that his sister couldn't recognize that he was busy.

Pulling up to the parking lot outside the hospital, Klaus took a deep breath before grabbing the flowers from the passenger seat and getting out.

_Here we go._

He walked inside, not stopping to talk to the nurses or doctors like he usually did every morning. No, Klaus kept on walking. When the elevator signaled that he'd arrived at Lily's floor, Klaus stepped outside and walked with a brisk pace towards the hall that lead to her room. And stopped when he saw Rebekah.

"Bekah?" He watched her with a questioning look plastered on his face. What was she doing here?

The memory of his sister calling him constantly that morning flashed in front of Klaus' eyes and he took a few hasty strides towards her.

"Is she alright?"

The door to Lily's room was shut and Klaus resisted the urge to kick it open. He reached for the door handle but was stopped by Rebekah who pulled his arm back. "Nik."

He looked at her. Her eyes were red. She'd been crying.

_Oh god._

"No, Bekah."

Rebekah realized what he must be thinking and quickly shook her head. "No, no don't worry. She's not dead."

_Could have told me that sooner._

"Then what?" Klaus tried to reach for the door but his sister stopped him again, looking down at the flowers in Klaus other hand. She smiled a broken smile

"She told me about last night."

Lily had told Rebekah? About the kiss?

"You mean?"

"Yes, I mean the kiss." Rebekah looked up at her big brother. "It meant a lot to her, you know."

The way his sister spoke had Klaus nervous. She rarely used such a gentle voice with him. It was almost like she was trying to comfort her.

"Rebekah." He raised his free arm to her shoulder, making sure she couldn't run away. "What's going on?"

Rebekah looked away for a moment before taking the courage to face Klaus' gaze. "Her face is healed. She looks like herself again, Nik."

"So?" Klaus was well aware how Lily looked.

"So." Rebekah sighed. "Her face is healed and recognizable."

A moment of silence passed between the two siblings before Klaus retreated his hand from her shoulder. He'd gotten the message.

"Someone recognized her."

Rebekah nodded. "He's inside right now."

_He?_

"Who is _he_?" Klaus was far from comfortable right now.

"_He's_ her fiancé."

A bullet. It felt like a bullet to his chest when Rebekah spoke. Lily had a fiancée.

Klaus looked down at the flowers, feeling ridiculous holding them. She wouldn't want them. Not when she was in her room, right now, with her fiancé. "I see."

Rebekah's hands came to rest on Klaus' shoulders. "Nik, I'm sorry." She waited for him to look at her before continuing. "She didn't know. Neither did you."

No, they hadn't known. She wasn't even wearing a ring.

As if knowing what her brother was thinking, Rebekah gave his shoulder a light squeeze. "The ring was probably taken when she was attacked."

"Yeah, probably."

The door opened and Rebekah pulled back, making way for the nurse who was exiting, leaving Klaus alone in the doorway, looking right into Lily's room. She was in her bed, a blanket covering her legs. Next to her a man with dark hair and a muscular back was leaning in. Embracing her.

_Great._

Lily seemed to be listening to the man whisper something in her ear but she looked up when she felt Klaus' gaze on her. Her eyes widened and she parted her lips, wanting to say something but not knowing what.

Haley was in the room and looked up as well. Giving Klaus a sympathetic look. "Klaus."

The man next to Lily pulled back and turned around, clearly surprised to hear Haley utter Klaus' name.

"Klaus?" The man looked at Klaus, slowly getting up from Lily's bed. "You're Klaus?"

Klaus simply nodded, not taking his eyes off Lily. She was looking at him as well.

"I don't even know what to say."

Klaus looked at the man. He didn't know what to say? Well neither did Klaus.

"The doctors told me that if you hadn't brought Caroline in when you did…well, I am just so grateful." The man walked up to Klaus, giving him a sincere look and a pat on the back. "You saved my fiancée's life."

Klaus only gave him a short glance before looking back towards the hospital bed. "Caroline?"

Haley seemed to think it was time for her to fill him in on everything. "Caroline Forbes. Age 23. She's from Mystic Fall, has lived there her entire life. Tyler-" Haley nodded towards Caroline's fiancé. "-and Caroline have been together since high school."

Caroline was watching Klaus, analyzing his face as he listened to Haley revealing facts about the girl he'd spent days trying to get to know.

"I work at a small boutique in Mystic Falls. Apparently I have a huge passion for clothes." She spoke quietly, feeling like she was walking on egg shells right now.

Tyler was smiling at Caroline. Klaus didn't. He seemed to be frozen and Rebekah must have realized that because she cleared her throat and entered the room.

"Tyler, I'm Rebekah." She shook his hand. "Klaus' sister."

Tyler smiled at her. "Nice to meet you officially. Sorry for barging in earlier."

Rebekah glanced at Klaus. "No worries." She looked back at Tyler. "If I found out that my boyfriend was at the hospital I would probably barge in as well, not caring if someone else was in the room with him."

Klaus raised his eyebrow. So Rebekah had been visiting Caroline when Tyler arrived. That explained the phone calls. She'd probably tried calling Klaus to give him a heads up.

_I should have picked up._

He really should have.

"Well…" Klaus looked around the room, catching Haley's eye. She was still giving him that same sympathetic look. Klaus realized he was still holding the flowers. No wonder Haley kept on looking at him like that. "I actually can't stay for long. I just wanted to drop in and give you these, _Caroline_." He tried the name out. It suited her. But it also made Klaus' chest ache. Caroline seemed like a stranger to him. Even if she was looking at him with those familiar blue eyes.

Rebekah cleared her throat. "Tyler." She smiled sweetly. "Would you like some coffee?"

Tyler looked at Caroline for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, it was a long drive. I could use some caffeine." He walked to Caroline, kissing her on the cheek. "I'll be right back, Care."

Caroline smiled at him. "Take Rebekah with you. She's a caffeine addict."

Rebekah laughed and Tyler chuckled lightly before gesturing for Rebekah to walk with him.

When they'd left, Haley walked up to Klaus. "Why don' I get those lilies some water?" She reached out with her hands and Klaus surrendered the flowers to her before looking back to Caroline.

The door closed behind Haley as she left the room. They were alone.

Caroline didn't say anything. She simply sat there, watching Klaus and biting her lip.

Klaus didn't know what to say. Because what did you say to the girl you've kissed the night before only to find out the very next morning that she had a fiancé? The fiancé that was just down the hall getting coffee. There was nothing really to say.

"Tyler seems like a nice bloke."

He regretted the words almost immediately.

Caroline sighed. "He seems alright."

Klaus tilted his head to the side. "You seem disappointed. Not the prince charming you were expecting to be searching for you?"

Caroline blushed. "I wasn't really expecting anyone to be looking for me."

_Well someone was. _

"Did the police stop by already?"

Caroline nodded. "They came with Tyler here this morning. They asked him a bunch of questions about me. Confirming that he was who he said he was, I suppose." She sighed.

Klaus didn't like the look on her face. It was sad. Not at all the face of a girl who had been reunited with her lover.

_She doesn't really know him. She probably knows more about you than about him. _

Klaus silenced his own subconscious. He couldn't afford to think like that. It wasn't right. Caroline was engaged. As far as Klaus was concerned she was a red flag. A red flag he'd snatched but had now returned to the rightful owner.

"Well at least now you have someone telling you who you are." Klaus looked at the clock that was hanging on the wall. Twenty minutes ago he'd been getting out of the car. Twenty minutes ago he had been on his way to visit Lily, to tell her that he was taking her out for some proper food as soon as she was discharged. Twenty minutes seemed like a very short time for so much to change.

"I should get going. I have painting to do."

Caroline looked at him, knowing exactly what Klaus was doing. He was putting walls up around him.

"Will you come back?"

Her words sounded like a plea. Klaus shook his head.

"I don't think it's a good idea."

"Niklaus."

Klaus smiled bitterly. "I'll see if I can squeeze in a short visit in a few days but I have a lot to do so don't count on it."

He didn't look at her before turning around and exiting the room. Yet, Klaus still knew exactly what Caroline's face looked like. Lips slightly parted, eyes focused on his back and tears slowly building up. Klaus shut the door behind him before he could hear her sob.

* * *

**A/N:** Gasp. So there you have it. I don't think it was a surprise to anyone what Lily's real name was. But yeah, Tyler is in town. And he's there for his _fiancée_.


	5. Home

**Chapter 5  
- Home -**

"Take a deep breath, Caroline."

Caroline breathed in, feeling the cold stethoscope on her back. She still, after far too many check up's, had a hard time getting used to the cold metal being pressed against her. Tyler had told her that it was because she wasn't a fan of hospitals. Somehow Caroline had no trouble believing him. It would explain why she always felt so out of place and slightly creeped out when she was left alone in the evenings.

It had been three days since Tyler had arrived. Tree days since she'd talked to Klaus. He hadn't visited or called after he'd walked out on her. Caroline couldn't blame him. She had a fiancé. She had had no right kissing Klaus…even if she hadn't known about Tyler at the time.

Tyler had been very patient the last few days. He'd visited her every day, talking about their life back in Mystic Falls. He'd told Caroline how her best friends Bonnie and Elena had been worried sick when she hadn't showed up for their traditional Sunday brunch at the Grill. And even if Caroline couldn't remember her friends it was comforting knowing that they had been worried. Caroline had asked Tyler where he'd thought she had been all this time. If they lived together he must have noticed that she was gone.

He'd told her that he hadn't slept for days, trying to figure out where she could have gone. Tyler was a football player, not signed by a big team but still big enough to force him out of town from time to time for away games. He'd been attending a game a few hours away when Caroline had gone missing. When Tyler had gotten home the next day, she'd been gone. At first he'd thought that she'd made a run for it, getting cold feet about the relationship and the upcoming wedding, but when he noticed that all her clothes where still there he'd gotten worried and started calling around to their friends. When they hadn't known anything about Caroline's whereabouts, Tyler had called the police. And when Caroline's picture had popped up as a Jane Doe, Tyler had rushed to New Orleans.

"Thank you, Caroline." The doctor smiled and walked around the bed, facing Caroline. "Everything is looking and sounding good. I really don't see a problem with you going home tomorrow." His smile was gentle and encouraging and Caroline smiled back. She was going home. Not that she knew what home would look like.

_This is so strange. _

"Is it possible for my memories to come back?" She looked at the doctor, biting her lip and hoping that he would say what she wanted to hear.

"It's always possible. In fact I think that being back in a familiar environment might help."

That hadn't been the answer she wanted to hear. Nodding, Caroline spoke a small thank you before leaning back in the bed and pulling her blanket tighter around her.

_I'm going home tomorrow._

Home meant no more Klaus. It wasn't like he had visited the past few days but once she left, he _really _would be out of the picture.

Caroline glanced over at the table and the small piece of paper that was resting on it. It was Klaus' phone number. He'd written it down in case she needed to get in touch with him. That had been before Tyler had showed up. Klaus had probably forgotten that she still had his number and he was most likely not waiting for her to call him.

_But you could call him. Let him know you are leaving._

Caroline thought about it for a bit. She decided not to call. There really wasn't much she could say to get him to come and visit. If he had wanted to visit he would have.

* * *

It was 6 pm. Klaus had spent the last few days painting. It had been the only good distraction he could come up with. Marcel had stopped by a few times, trying to get Klaus to leave the house. He'd refused. Knowing very well that once he got in his car he would end up at the hospital eventually. And dealing with Tyler and Caroline wasn't very high on Klaus' list of things he wanted to do.

No, he'd rather paint. And he had. There were paintings of a faceless blonde leaning against the wall. In one painting she was standing under a tree. In another painting she was dressed in a doctor's lab coat.

Even when painting, Klaus couldn't avoid her.

Sighing, Klaus leaned back and rubbed his face. He felt tired. He hadn't slept much. He never did when he was painting. Somehow the hours just seemed to fly away when he was alone with a canvas.

The phone rang. Klaus looked over at it and recognized Rebekah's name on the screen.

_Might as well pick up._

"Bekah."

"Nik." she sounded out of breath. "Good thing you picked up. Listen-" There was a familiar voice in the background that Klaus recognized right away.

"Rebekah, was that Haley? Are you at the hospital?" Klaus got up and walked towards his kitchen, suddenly craving a drink.

"Yeah, I am. And that's why I'm calling, Nik."

Klaus pulled out a glass and poured himself some scotch. "If you're calling to convince me to come over then I do believe this phone call is pointless, Bekah." He took a sip.

"Nik, she's leaving first thing tomorrow. They're sending her home."

He almost choked on his drink. "She's leaving?"

"Yes. And I know that she's not going to call you."

"She probably doesn't want me to know then, Bekah."

"Of course she wants you to know, Nik."

Klaus could hear Rebekah take a deep breath and immediately knew that he was about to get lectured.

"You saved her. You got her to the hospital and stayed with her every day until Tyler showed up. I know it sucks that she's engaged and I know that you're hurting, Nik. But she's leaving tomorrow and really wants to say goodbye to you. And you, dear foolish and stubborn brother, want to do the same. So put down the paintbrushes, pour whatever drink you're having in the kitchen sink and get your ass over here right now."

Klaus pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. There was only one way he was going to get out of this phone call alive.

"Fine. I'll be there in thirty minutes."

* * *

The hospital was quiet when he arrived. Probably because visiting hours were over. Haley had spotted him when he got off the elevator and beckoned him to come with her. She said that Tyler had requested for Caroline not to be disturbed after visiting hours but that Klaus could go in as long as he promised to keep it short. He had no problem doing so. Saying goodbye and getting out of there within ten minutes sounded like a fantastic idea.

Haley walked with him to Caroline's door and smiled before leaving Klaus alone. He watched the door for a few seconds, debating if it was too late for him to go back home. But knowing that she was leaving tomorrow made him open the door. He might not be the biggest fan of Caroline and Tyler's relationship but he did want to see her one more time.

He walked in quietly, expecting Caroline to look at him and asking him what he was doing there. She did no such thing. Instead she was in bed, eyes closed and her breathing heavy. She was asleep.

_Great._

Klaus once again thought about leaving but fought the urge to do so. He'd come this far. He might as well stay awhile.

So he sat down in the chair next to the bed and watched her. He studied the angles of her face, the way her lips were slightly parted and how her eyelashes brushed her skin. She was beautiful, there was no doubt about it.

A few locks of her hair was resting against her cheek and Klaus reached out and brushed them out of the way. His fingers barely grazed her skin but Caroline still stirred and slowly opened her eyes. It took her a moment to recognize her visitor.

"Klaus?" Her voice was filled with sleep. "What are you doing here?"

Klaus smiled. "I came to say goodbye."

Caroline smiled back, still half asleep. She reached out with her hand and placed it on Klaus' arm. "I'm glad you did."

Klaus' eyes followed her hand before focusing back on Caroline. "I heard you're going home tomorrow."

Caroline nodded. "Yeah. The doctor was in today to do a final checkup but I'm all good to go."

"That's good." Klaus murmured the words softly.

"Tyler's really excited about going home. He kept on talking how he was going to get all over friends together and celebrate that I'm back."

Klaus resisted to make a face at the mention of Tyler's name. Instead he opted to state the obvious. "You don't sound too happy about the party."

She shrugged. "I don't know them. I'm sure my friends are lovely but technically I'm going to be a stranger at the party. I won't know anyone."

_She won't be able to laugh at their memories of her. She will feel like an outsider as someone tells an insider joke. _

Klaus took pity on her. He wouldn't want to be her at that party. It actually sounded horrible. Why Tyler had thought it would be a good idea…well, it was an interesting question.

"Niklaus."

He looked at her by the mention of his name. "Yes?"

"I'm not sorry about the kiss." She paused. "I'm not sorry I kissed you but I am sorry that things turned out the way they did."

They sat in silence after that, Caroline's hand still resting on Klaus' arm. At some point he'd placed his hand on hers as well and they'd smiled at each other.

Klaus stayed until Haley knocked on the door to let him know that it was time to go home.

* * *

**A/N:** Shooooooooooort chapter but I have a friend visiting this weekend and I obviously want to spend time with him rather than writing. More Klaroline angst to come soon. Thank you SO much for all the reviews.


	6. The Phone Call

**Chapter 6  
- The Phone Call –**

The house was packed with people. People she didn't know…or technically did know but had no memory of. Caroline was standing in the middle of the living room, holding a glass of champagne in her hand. Elena was talking to her about a trip that they had taken a year ago to her family's lake house. Caroline had absolutely no idea where that lake house was located. But she smiled politely and tried to nod her head whenever Elena was asking a question. There was no need to upset her. She was trying to be nice. Caroline just didn't know how to react to her kindness.

All night people had been coming up to her, asking how she was feeling and if she had started to remember something yet. She'd tried to avoid the second question as much as possible. She didn't like watching all their guests getting disappointed when she replied that she had absolutely no idea who they were.

"Caroline." Elena smiled gently, placing her hand on Caroline's arm. "Are you okay?"

Was she? No, probably not.

"I'm fine, Elena. I just think I need to get some air."

"Do you want me to come with you?"

Caroline shook her head. "No. Enjoy the party. I'll be right back." Plastering on a smile, Caroline exited the house, sitting down on the bench that was located just under their kitchen window. She'd spent a lot of time on that bench since she'd gotten home three days ago. Somehow it was comforting watching the street and everyone going on about their lives.

It was dark outside, which wasn't so surprising since it was past eight o'clock in the evening. Most of their neighbors were home, probably having a late dinner or spending time together with their loved ones.

The door opened and a man stepped outside. For a moment Caroline thought it was Tyler who was checking up on her. It wasn't. It was Stefan Salvatore. Caroline didn't really know anything about him expect that he was in a lot of pictures in their photo albums. So he had to be important she supposed.

"Caroline."

She smiled at him. "Stefan."

Closing the door behind him, Stefan walked towards the bench, stopping next to it. "Is this seat taken?"

Caroline shook her head and Stefan sat down, shaking off his jacket in the process and handing it to her. She took it, glad to have something to cover her bare shoulders with from the wind.

"What are you doing out here?" Stefan wasn't looking at her, he was focusing on something on the street.

"I just needed a moment." It wasn't a lie and Caroline had a feeling that Stefan knew it.

"The party a bit too much for you?" He smiled but still didn't look at her. For a moment Caroline wondered if he didn't want to be looking at her.

"I don't think I'm the best party company." That wasn't a lie either. Caroline really didn't feel like attending a party where she couldn't say anything except for hello, thank you and goodbye.

Stefan turned his head and looked at her. "Well that's not true. You're somewhat of a legend when it comes to hosting parties." He paused for a moment before continuing. "But I can imagine that it has to be strange being in your own home with your friends but not really knowing what to say or how to act."

Caroline nodded, even if she was certain that Stefan wasn't even close to understanding exactly how she felt.

"I know it might seem strange to have a party, I actually was against it at first, but it's Tyler's way of trying to help you. So be patient. I'm sure the memories will start to come back once you get back to your normal life."

_Normal life? _

Caroline didn't even know what normal was anymore.

"Did Tyler send you out here?"

Stefan shook his head. "No. He's in there talking to Matt and Bonnie. I just noticed you leaving and figured I would check up on you. You usually only come out here when you need to clear your head or make a big decision."

"I do?" Somehow that made sense. It was a comforting bench.

"Yeah, you do."

A car passed the quiet street and Caroline sighed. "Do you really think I'll be able to remember my old life someday?"

Stefan hesitated for a moment. "I really hope so. You deserve to know who you are."

Caroline didn't reply. She simply got up and took off the jacket, handing it back to Stefan before walking back inside.

* * *

She'd told Tyler that she was tired and that she needed to lie down for a moment. He'd asked her if she wanted everyone to leave but she'd said no. There was no use in getting everyone out of there when that would mean that Caroline would be left alone with Tyler. And somehow being alone with him seemed like an even worse idea than having a party. She simply didn't have the energy to try and get to know him right now.

So she'd told him to entertain their guest before going into their bedroom. That had been twenty minute ago. She was sitting on the edge of her – _their – _bed. In her hand she held her brand new phone.

Outside the door she could hear people laughing and music playing. It gave Caroline some comfort to know that at least their guests were having a good time. It would have been a shame for the party to be a waste just because of her mood.

Biting her lip, Caroline unlocked her phone and opened up a new message. She wasn't quite sure if she should be doing what she was about to do. But it seemed like the best alternative. She took out the piece of paper with Klaus' number from her nightstands drawer and typed it in before writing her message.

_Are you alone? – Caroline_

She hit send and waited. A few minutes passed and Caroline was starting to think that Klaus really had shut her out of her life after she'd left New Orleans. There was a low beep from her phone and Caroline opened up the message.

_Yes. _

One word, nothing else. Caroline had sort of wished that he'd asked how she was.

She took a deep breath and pressed 'call number'.

The phone rang three times before she heard his voice.

_"Caroline." _

She smiled, not really knowing why since Klaus couldn't actually see her.

"Hi."

_"Is everything alright?" _

"Yes." Caroline pulled her legs up, crossing them on the bed. "Why wouldn't it be?"

_"You're whispering." _

Oh. She hadn't even realized.

"Sorry, we have guests."

_"Ah, the party. Shouldn't you be out there talking to all your friends and neighbors?" _

"I should but somehow I ended up calling you instead."

She hadn't meant to be so honest with him. She'd really only called to hear a familiar voice and to be able to know who she was talking to rather than having a stranger feed her with stories that made no sense.

"I hope I'm not calling at a bad time?" The image of Klaus heading out for a date played in Caroline's mind. She shivered.

_"You're not. I was only painting." _

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have disturbed you." She knew how he liked to lose himself in his art once he sat down and got started.

_"Don't be. I needed a break." _

Caroline could hear him closing a door. Probably leaving his studio.

_"Why are you really calling me, Caroline?" _

"I wanted to hear a familiar voice." She bit her lip again, nervous about how Klaus would react. She heard him chuckle.

_"You have a house full of guests, surely some of their voices have to sound at least a little familiar to you."_

Caroline sighed. "I wish. I've talked to so many people tonight but I have absolutely no idea who they are. Which is weird because they've been telling me all these stories about themselves and me, and I have no clue how to respond since those stories sound like fairytales to me."

She could hear Klaus sigh deeply. Caroline could almost imagine him sitting down and pinching the bridge of his nose.

_"Well what did they tell you?"_

"What?"

_"If they told you stories about your life they had to tell you a lot about you. So what did you learn about yourself tonight?" _

_Oh. _

Caroline thought about all the conversations she'd had during the night.

"I like to host parties and apparently I spend a lot of my summers at one of my friends' lake houses. Or actually it's her family's lake house."

"Anything else?"

She thought back about what Matt had told her. "I was the cheer captain in high school and wanted to major in drama when I went off to college."

Klaus laughed. "_A drama major?"_

Caroline blushed. "I changed my mind. I majored in psychology instead. Apparently I have a talent for analyzing people's problems to the core."

_"Somehow I don't have a problem believing that."_

* * *

The party died out just after midnight and Caroline had managed to go back out to the living room around eleven. Talking to Klaus had helped. His question about what she'd learned made Caroline think about how she was technically wasting a perfect opportunity to find out more about herself and her life. So she'd spent the remaining hour asking questions about her job, her hobbies and her future plans.

After everyone left, Tyler had asked if she was feeling better and she'd nodded, thanking him for taking the time to get everyone together. He'd told her that it had been his pleasure.

It was just after one in the morning. Tyler was asleep next to Caroline. He'd offered to sleep on the couch when they got back but Caroline had figured that she might as well get used to sharing a bed with him again. Still they slept as far away from each other as possible. Caroline was laying on her side, her back facing Tyler. She was thinking about everything she'd learned that evening. Like how she had dreams to move away from Mystic Falls to start a family, how she was hoping to someday open up her own store and how she had an entire notebook dedicated for her wedding plans.

The thought of actually planning her wedding seemed like a ridiculous idea right now but Caroline decided that she was going to look for her notebook in the morning. Maybe Tyler knew where it was.

Her phone was on her night stand and it buzzed quietly, alerting Caroline that she had a new message. She frowned and picked up her phone.

It was from Klaus.

_I hope you're feeling better. Thank you for calling. _

She smiled and read his message a few more times. She'd never told him how bad she'd been feeling before but clearly he'd figured it out.

Caroline typed him a reply.

_Thank you for picking up and listening. Sleep well. _

She set her phone aside and slumped back in her bed, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.

She had a feeling tomorrow would be a good day thanks to this one.

* * *

**A/N:** Well another short chapter. It's so strange writing chapters that are under 2k. But bear with me. I said goodbye to my friend last night so I should have more time on my hands now. Plus, this fic gets updated so often that it's difficult to actually have time to write more than what I do now, haha. I hope everyone is enjoying the story so far.


	7. Scream

**A/N:** This chapter will take place a few months after the last one. It's a very important chapter and I would once more like to stress that the way I portray characters in this fic is NOT the way I view them on the show. This is fanfiction, AU and OOC from time to time.

* * *

**Chapter 7  
-Scream-**

October passed quietly, as did November. Caroline spent her days trying to get back to her life. Her life that apparently included working on her own wedding dress at the store after closing time. It was a pretty dress and it pained Caroline to look at it. She and Tyler had agreed a while back not to even mention the wedding until Caroline could once again say that she loved him. It was a painful process, but they were moving forward slowly. Tyler had taken her out on a few dates and they'd even visited his parents one weekend. He'd kissed her that weekend and Caroline hadn't backed away.

Caroline's friends kept on nudging her with tales of their lives together pre-accident. She had to admit that as far as lives went, her old one was not a bad one.

"Tyler?" Caroline was sitting by the kitchen table, reading the morning paper as she did every morning before going to work.

"Yeah, Care?" Tyler's voice came from the bathroom. He was probably still taking his shower.

"It's Wednesday. Do you think you'll be home on time for dinner?"

Wednesdays had become their night. It was the only day of the week that Caroline's and Tyler's schedules didn't clash. He got off practice pretty early and Caroline didn't have to close the store. So they'd gotten into a nice routine where Caroline would cook dinner, they would dine together and then afterwards watch a movie.

"I think so. You cooking?" His voice was closer now and Caroline looked up to see Tyler walk down the hall towards her, his hair still wet from the shower. He smiled at her and placed a kiss on the top of her head. "Morning."

She smiled. "Morning. And yes, I am. Chicken okay with you?"

"Chicken sounds perfect."

Caroline nodded in agreement and got up. "I have to get to the store. I'll see you tonight."

She walked up to Tyler, placed one of her hands on his chest and kissed him lightly. "Have a good day."

He smiled against her lips. "You too."

* * *

The store was busy. Caroline had spent the majority of her day running around, getting different clothes for different customers.

"Thank you, have a nice evening." Caroline smiled sweetly towards the exiting customers before she turned to look at Bonnie, who was working with her today. "Am I the only one who thinks that Mystic Falls has gained people over night? I don't recall us ever having this much customers before."

Bonnie laughed and tossed her a water bottle. "Winter formal is coming up. Not to mention Christmas."

Caroline groaned. "I need to start wearing flats if I'm going to be running around this much during one day." She glanced down at her black heels. "My babies just aren't meant to be doing all that running."

Bonnie shook her head. "You and your shoes." She looked up at the clock. "Luckily for you your shift is over."

Caroline turned to look at the big clock on the wall. Bonnie was right. It was five o'clock. Caroline smiled.

"Perfect timing. I'm starving. And Tyler should be home by the time I get back."

"You and Tyler doing okay?"

Caroline frowned. "Yes. Why wouldn't we be?" They might not be the old Caroline and Tyler but at least they were giving it a shot.

Bonnie shrugged. "Jeremy just mentioned that he'd seen Tyler out on the porch a lot lately. He said that Tyler looked worried."

Jeremy Gilbert was Elena's younger brother, Bonnie's boyfriend and Caroline's neighbor.

"Tyler's probably just worried about the upcoming away game. It's supposed to be a big one." Caroline picked up her bag from behind the counter. "I'll see you tomorrow, Bonnie."

Bonnie nodded. "See you tomorrow."

* * *

"I'm home!" Caroline closed the door behind her, placing the car keys in the bowl next to her. "Tyler?"

He didn't reply, even if Caroline could hear him move around in the living room.

_Someone is in a mood._

She walked along the hall, entering the beautifully decorated living room. The TV was on but muted and Tyler was pacing back and forth in front of it.

"Tyler?"

He looked up, his expression angry.

"What's wrong?" Caroline moved towards him but stopped when she saw a familiar black object in his hand. "Is that my phone?"

Tyler nodded. "You forgot it this morning."

She hadn't even realized. Things had been so hectic at work that Caroline hadn't even stopped to wonder why her phone was being so quiet. Especially since she usually managed to squeeze in a short text chat with Klaus during her lunch break.

_Oh._

She looked at Tyler, dreading what he must be thinking if he'd gone through her phone. "Tyler…"

"I was just getting a glass of water when your phone went off. It was right next to me so it wasn't like I could miss it." Tyler held the phone up. "But imagine my surprise when I see that you have a text from Niklaus Mikaelsson asking where you are, since apparently, you hadn't texted him during the entire day."

"Tyler, it's not what you think." Caroline bit her lip. She probably should have told Tyler about Klaus. How they'd stayed in touch after the night of the party when she'd called him. But it had never seemed like the right time to mention it. It hadn't exactly meant anything. It had just been nice to have someone to talk to, someone who wasn't part of her, so called, normal life. "Klaus and I have just been texting for a while."

"A while?" Tyler's expression changed into something that could only be described as mock. "Your phone doesn't have a password so it was really easy to open the message. And to see your chat history with Niklaus. I'd say there are more texts from him than there are from me on your phone."

Caroline cringed. That statement was probably true. Tyler never texted her.

"Let me read you some of my favorites."

Tyler gave her a sour look before scrolling through the texts. "Here's one from November first. It says 'How are you doing, sweetheart? I managed to finish that painting you wanted.'"

Caroline thought of the painting. It was one of her, Klaus had even sent her a picture of it. It was her running in the woods. She was dressed in the clothes that he found her in but instead of being weak and hurt she was strong and happy.

"And here's another one from a few days after that text. 'Love, I really need to get some sleep. Can we continue this tomorrow?'" Tyler shook his head. "And in case you had forgotten, when he says _this _he means your discussion about you someday wanting to leave Mystic Falls."

"I didn't mean it like that, Tyler. We were talking about where we wanted to live when starting families and settled down." Caroline crossed her arms, feeling slightly annoyed.

"Oh trust me, I read all about your hopes and dreams of living in a big city with you future husband and little baby girl. Funny how you never mentioned who your future husband was."

He looked so angry and Caroline felt uncertain what to do next. She'd never fought with Tyler, at least not after she'd lost her memories. She had no idea how she was supposed to respond. Should she go to him and reassure him that nothing was wrong? Should she give him some time to cool off? Should she say she was sorry?

She chose to walk to him, slowly reaching for the phone and cradling it in her hands. "Tyler, those are just fantasies. My reality is that I'm here with you." She sighed. "And it's Wednesday. So how about I go and fix us diner while you take some time to cool off?" Caroline smiled gently and turned to walk to the kitchen. But she was stopped. Because Tyler grabbed her arm and spun her around. Caroline looked at him surprised. "Tyler?"

He stared at her, his eyes filled with anger. "How long where you going to live in this fantasy land? Until you decided that I was worth loving again? Until we got married?" He paused and breathed out. "Until you died?!"

The last question was said with a loud voice, almost a shout, and Caroline gasped. She could feel his grip tighten on her arm.

"Tyler, you're hurting me. Please let go." She talked in a low voice, frowning when the words sounded so familiar in her mind. Something about that phrase…like she'd said it before.

"I'm hurting you?!" His shout hit her like a lightning bolt.

_Caroline saw herself standing by the edge of the road, her arms spread wide as she shouted at a dark figure. A man with dark hair. Tyler. They were alone and it was dark outside, probably very late in the evening considering the lack of traffic on the road. _

_"I honestly don't know why we are having this argument again! I told you, Stefan needed my help, I went and helped him and slept over, on the couch, because it was late." _

_"Don't even try that line with me, Caroline." _

_"Why? Because when you use it it's always a lie? Yeah, trust me, I know!" _

_"If you are even trying to imply that I've cheated on you-"_

_"-What, Tyler? You going to tell me that it's untrue? All these away games, all the parties and girls. You really think that I'm that stupid?" _

_"Away games and Stefan are two completely different things, Care!" _

_"So it going on away games and sleeping with a random cheerleader because you are drunk, Tyler!" _

Caroline gasped and jerked away from Tyler. He was watching her, clearly confused where her mind had just gone.

Caroline swallowed, feeling like she couldn't breathe properly. She remembered that night now. She'd decided to go with Tyler to his away game. It had been a spontaneous decision and Tyler hadn't been as happy as she'd thought he would be. They'd just reached New Orleans when their bickering in the car had become too much for Tyler and he'd stopped the car. They'd both gotten out and argued some more. Mostly about why Tyler was so unhappy about her tagging along. Caroline could remember how mad she'd been. Not even her new outfit could lighten her mood as she stood by the side of the road and argued with her fiancé.

_My outfit. _

She recalled a pair of skinny jeans and a green jacket. And white boots.

"It was you, wasn't it?" The words were barely audible. Caroline looked at Tyler with tears in her eyes. "You were the one who attacked me?"

His expression changed, looking more shocked and scared than mad. "What?"

Caroline hugged herself, trying to keep it together. "You're the one who attacked me that night. We got into an argument and you-" She closed her eyes, recalling how she'd been yelling at him about some random girl when he'd hit her. Hard. She'd screamed and he'd hit he again. "You hit me. You lost control." She felt cold. And scared.

Her attacker had been living under the same roof as her since she got back. They'd slept in the same bed and cuddled on the couch every Wednesday.

"Why?" She felt a tear roll down her cheek.

Tyler took a step forward. "You made me. You made me so mad and I snapped." He took another step towards her but Caroline backed away. "I hit you and you tried to hit me back. I tried to get you to calm down but when you didn't I just lost control."

Caroline stared at him. "You…you lost control? You put me in a hospital!"

Tyler winched. "Once I realized how badly I've hurt you I panicked. I couldn't have the press finding out that I'd abused my fiancée. So while in shock, I took you in my arms and headed towards the woods. You weren't conscious, barely breathing so I figured that if I made it look like a robbery no one would ever know."

"You left me to die." Caroline's voice was shaky and she wanted to run. But she didn't. Not yet.

"I felt so ashamed. After I got back to the car I changed clothes and continues driving. I got to the game, played and went to my hotel room. I didn't sleep at all that night. The next morning when I headed home I thought for sure that someone would ask where you were. But you never told anyone that you were going with me."

The surprise had been impulsive. She hadn't probably had time to text Elena and Bonnie when she was rushing home to catch Tyler on time.

"You thought that I was dead. That you'd gotten away with murder."

She felt Tyler's hand on her arm again.

"Elena and Bonnie were worried sick about you but since no one knew where you were people started assuming that you'd ran away, gotten cold feet about the wedding. And then your pictures showed up on the news."

"And you realized that I wasn't dead. That I was breathing and possibly remembering what had happened to me. Which is why you rushed to New Orleans."

Caroline felt sick. Partly because of the story, partly because Tyler was touching her.

"Caroline. I felt horrible about it. That's why I've spent all this time trying to make it up to you." He tried to get her to look at him but Caroline's eyes were focused on his hand resting on her arm.

"Make it up to me? You were trying to protect your own ass." She shivered. "And now I'm doing the same."

Caroline, for the second time that evening, pulled away from Tyler's touch. And this time she ran.

She headed towards the door, pressing the buttons on her phone until she found Klaus' number. Caroline could hear Tyler shouting behind her. She tried to run faster.

_Come on, pick up! _

The phone rang and Caroline opened the front door. She could hear Tyler just behind her.

"Come on!" Klaus didn't pick up and Caroline sobbed as her feet hit the grass.

_Cops. Call the cops!_

She was just about to dial 911 when she realized that she'd forgotten the car keys. They were still in the bowl inside. She couldn't drive her car without her keys.

Another sob escaped her when Caroline came to a stop, turning around to get back in the house.

She didn't have a change to head back though because Tyler was in front of her, his fist connecting with her jaw. Caroline hit the ground, her phone flying under the car.

"I'm sorry, Care. I really am." Tyler crouched down, stroking her cheek once before hitting her again. Caroline groaned, trying to get away. She wasn't very successful considering the size difference between them.

She heard her phone ring.

_Klaus._

He must have seen that she'd called. But he was too late. She had absolutely no chance reaching her phone.

Tyler's fist hit Caroline's stomach and she gasped, losing her breath for a moment.

_He's going to kill me._

The thought of dying in her front yard, surrounded by darkness and Tyler beating her until she was black and blue, was terrifying.

"Please." Her voice cracked. She could taste blood in her mouth.

This was really it. He'd snapped. Tyler's looked absolutely haunted as he kept on hitting Caroline. She started feeling numb, her vision getting blurry.

"Help." She felt the darkness taking over and could barely hear Tyler say that he was sorry that he had to do this.

Somewhere in the distance Caroline could hear her name being called. She had no idea who it was. Maybe it was Tyler. She felt his weight lift away from her.

_Here we go. I can't even feel him anymore._

"Caroline! Stay with me."

The voice didn't belong to Tyler. She tried to peel her eyes open. A young man was standing above her, moving his lips but no words were coming out.

_Klaus?_

Caroline tried to focus. The face in front of her wasn't Klaus'. It was too young. And the hair color was wrong.

"Caroline, hang in there! I'm calling 911. Stay with me!"

_Jeremy._

Elena's brother was sweaty and blood trickled down from his eyebrow. He must have seen Tyler and Caroline and rushed over to help.

"Jer." Caroline coughed, tasting the blood again. Darkness took over.

* * *

**A/N:** Only one more chapter remains. And the prologue.  
How are you guys doing after this chapter? Still alive? Ready to kill me? I hope not! I would very much like to finish this fic and celebrate Christmas!  
Thank you again for all the lovely reviews.


	8. Hit of Reality

**A/N: **Well it would seem that most of you survived the last chapter. Which I'd been counting on since I never intended for this fic to be a mystery. It's really a very obvious one when you think about it. Still…I'm super happy to hear that so many of you guys like it! I mean just look at the number of favorite and followers!

Enjoy this last chapter (before the prologue). It's more from Klaus' POV, even if this fic is written from a third person's perspective.

* * *

**Chapter 8  
-Hit of Reality-**

His phone rang and Klaus groaned. He'd been asleep, he still was partially, and there was no way that he was picking up the phone right now. Whoever it was could wait. Especially since Klaus had barely slept the night before and was now enjoying his 8pm powernap. So whoever the caller was could try and call in two hours when Klaus would be out with Marcel getting a drink.

_It probably is Marcel._

Well, Marcel really ought to know better than to disturb Klaus before their designated drinking time.

The phone stopped ringing and Klaus let a happy smile sneak its way to his lips. Peace.

Unfortunately the peace didn't last for more than one minute before a loud knock came from the door.

"Bloody hell!"

Cursing whoever was behind the door, Klaus got up and walked to the door. When he opened it, he found Kol on the other side.

"Niklaus!" Klaus younger brother smiled happily. "Marcel let me know that it's drinking night. I came to join."

Klaus groaned, annoyed by the surprise visit, but stepped aside to let his brother in. "Did you just call me?"

Kol shook his head. "Nope. No use in calling you when I was just around the corner. Why?" Kol helped himself to a beer from Klaus' refrigerator.

Klaus on the other hand walked to his bedroom and got his phone. Checking the list of incoming calls he noticed Caroline's name at the very top.

_Great._

He'd been waiting around all day to hear from her and once she did get in touch he'd dismissed her for a powernap. He hit the call button and pressed the phone against his ear.

"Nik, do you mind if we watch the ending of the game before we meet up with Marcel?" Kol was sitting on the couch, remote already in hand and Klaus simply made a gesture for him to turn on the TV. No use in arguing with his brother about sports. Klaus had his art, Elijah had his family and Kol had his sports.

Caroline didn't seem to be picking up so Klaus ended the call. He could always text her later.

Walking over to the couch he sat down and reached for the second beer that Kol had placed on the coffee table. "Right, so what game is on tonight?"

* * *

The bar was loud, college students celebrating that finals were over and that Christmas was getting closer. Klaus, Marcel and Kol were seated by the bar counter, drinking their whiskey and talking about what had been happening lately. Kol told them that he was thinking about moving to New York for a little while. Marcel laughed and said that he should just find a girl and settle down. Klaus mostly drank. The thought of settling down with someone sounded wrong. Probably since the girl he wanted to settle down with was playing house with some minor athlete in Mystic Falls.

"Another round, lads?" Kol looked towards the bartender and signaled him to fill their glasses. "It's on me. To celebrate the fact that I am young, single and perfectly capable to move to New York if I wanted to. Unlike you Marcel who seem very much tied down to our beloved sister." He smirked and raised his glass in a salute. "Cheers."

The music in the bar stopped, probably someone deciding it was time to pick another song to play, and Klaus could hear a familiar ring in his pocket. His phone. He must have forgot to put in on vibrate before he got to the bar.

He excused himself, holding up the phone so that Marcel and Kol would know that he was stepping outside to take the call. They shrug and took another sip from their drinks.

"Hello?" Klaus walked to the entrance, closing the door behind him once he was outside.

"Mr. Mikaelson?"

Klaus frowned. "Yes. Who is this?"

"This is Doctor Fell. I'm calling regarding Ms. Forbes."

_Ms. Forbes? _

It took a few seconds for Klaus to realize who she was talking about.

"Caroline?"

Doctor Fell replied with confirmation. "Ms. Forbes, has you listed as one of her emergency contacts."

Klaus felt like he'd been punched in the stomach. He was her emergency contact. _Emergency. Contact. _

Suddenly feeling extremely sober, Klaus started walking towards the parking lot. "What happened?"

* * *

She was asleep, her golden hair covering half of her face. Klaus sat next to Caroline, watching her like his life depended on it. She was in the hospital, barely alive. If it hadn't been for Jeremy Gilbert, who Klaus had learned that was Caroline's neighbor, she would probably be dead right now. Klaus couldn't even imagine what he would be doing right now if she was in fact gone.

_Thank fuck for the Gilbert boy. _

Doctor Fell had been in a few times, checking Caroline's vitals and telling Klaus to be patient. It looked bad but there was a possibility that she would wake up soon. Klaus had a hard time believing her.

Caroline's friends had come around as well. It wasn't exactly the way Klaus had imagined meeting her friends for the first time. Elena and Bonnie had sobbed, saying how they couldn't believe that Tyler could do something like this. Stefan had stood behind them, holding it together but never taking his eyes off of Caroline. Klaus liked Stefan. He seemed like a decent person.

"Mr. Mikaelson," Doctor Fell tried to give him a reassuring smile as she gestured towards the door. "I'm going to need you to leave the room for a moment."

Klaus nodded, feeling numb as he maneuvered himself out of the chair.

He stopped next to the doctor for a moment. "How is she doing?"

"Better than yesterday. Just be patient."

"She was assaulted and nearly killed. Don't ask me to be patient." Klaus still had a hard time wrapping his head around that statement. It was even harder for him to accept that she had called him that night, probably begging for help, and he hadn't picked up.

"Get some coffee, Mr. Mikaelson."

He nodded. Knowing full well that he would need coffee if he wanted to stay awake.

"I'll be back in a few minutes."

* * *

The hospital way quiet. It was just after midnight. Klaus was still sitting next to her. One of the nurses had been in to let him know that visiting hours were over. Klaus had simply told her that there was no chance in hell that he was leaving. Somehow the nurses had believed him because they left him alone after that.

At some point, Klaus had reached out with his hand, gently placing it on Caroline's arm. She felt so cold against his skin.

"Caroline." He murmured her name softly, wishing that he could will her awake. Obviously he couldn't.

The following two days went exactly the same. Klaus would stay by her side, only getting up if the doctor needed him to leave the room. And when night came, Klaus would stay awake and guard her. He was convinced that closing his eyes even for a second would probably get Caroline killed. He'd let her out of his sight already once, he wasn't going to do it again.

It was just after eight o'clock and Klaus leaned his chin against the bed, holding his hand on Caroline's arm, hoping it would give her some warmth and comfort.

Bruises were starting to become visible on her skin and Klaus couldn't help but imagine how hard Tyler must have grabbed and hit her to be able to leave such marks. It made Klaus furious. Tyler really should thank his lucky stars that he was in custody and that Klaus couldn't get to him.

Klaus thought back to the night of the attack. How Caroline must have just gotten back from work when she was faced with the realization that Tyler was her attacker. Klaus still wasn't sure if that meant that she'd gotten some of her memories back or if Tyler had done something that had caused her to figure it out.

She must have fought back too because the doctors said that she would have been in much worse shape if Tyler been the only one throwing punches. That made Klaus slightly happy. Knowing that Tyler was probably sporting a black eye and that Caroline had made it happen was something to be proud of.

Jeremy had been in to visit Caroline one day and Klaus had asked him about what exactly had happened that night. He admitted to hearing noises but not reacting to them first, figuring that it was probably nothing important. But when Jeremy had heard a woman scream he'd rushed outside, trying to locate the source of the sound. He hadn't seen them first but when Tyler had yelled at Caroline about her being better off not knowing about the accident, Jeremy had rushed over and yanked Tyler off. They'd fought but Jeremy had managed, much thanks to his teenage years as a rebel, to knock Tyler out. He'd rushed to Caroline's side after that. She'd been bleeding and barely conscious. Jeremy had called an ambulance and tried to keep her awake until they arrived.

Something touched Klaus' arm and he jerked up, realizing that he must have closed his eyes at some point because it was a lot darker outside. He looked down at his hand, noticing that a much smaller one was placed on top of his. He looked up and met Caroline's tired gaze.

"Hi." Her voice was hoarse and Klaus didn't know if he should smile or cry over the fact that he could hear her talk.

"Hi." He got up and leaned forward, stroking Caroline's cheek. "You're awake."

It was a relief. Because if she was awake that meant she was finally starting to get better.

Klaus reached for the call button and pressed it. "How are you feeling?"

Caroline tried to smile but winched when it turned out to be too painful.

"I'm tired."

Her voice was so weak and Klaus' heart broke. He closed his eyes and leaned forward again, this time planting his lips of her forehead. He heard her say his name but Klaus didn't respond. Eventually, when the door opened and one of the nurses rushed in, he pulled back. Stroking Caroline's cheek again. "I'm so sorry I didn't pick up."

He watched her lean into his touch.

"At least you're here now."

* * *

**A/N:** And there you have it. Klaus to the rescue…sort of. Jeremy is actually the savior in this story but at least Klaus managed to get his drunken ass to Mystic Falls! ;) The epilogue will be up on Monday, along with my thank you note that will probably resemble a sob story.


	9. Epilogue

**A/N: Small mention of Rebekah added **(about 2 hours after this epilogue was first published). For some odd reason it wasn't in the original upload. My work computer (aka, absolutely not me, haha) must have deleted it by mistake when editing the chapter.

* * *

**Epilogue  
-Remember-**

Klaus hated the winter. It was too cold to his liking. The only thing making the cold bearable was snow. But there was none. And it was the day before Christmas Eve.

He was walking down the main street of New Orleans, heading towards his lunch date. A lot of people were out, doing some last minute Christmas shopping. Klaus felt extremely happy not to be one of them. He'd gotten his shopping done a few weeks ago, leaving him to actually enjoy the festive week rather than pulling his hair out while trying to find something to buy.

A child ran past Klaus, laughing as he heard his mother call out for him. Klaus smiled. Maybe one day he could be the one running after his son.

_Maybe._

Arriving at his favorite bakery, Klaus opened the door and greeted the woman behind the counter. She smiled and said hello.

And then Klaus waited. He scanned the shelves with different sugary treats a few times. It all looked so delicious. The woman behind the counter asked if she could help him but he shook his head.

The door opened, a brisk wind entering the store, causing Klaus to shiver. He really hated the cold.

A few seconds after, Klaus felt two arms hugging him from behind. A soft voice spoke.

"Hi."

Klaus smiled and turned around, pulling the woman into a loose embrace. "Hello."

Caroline beamed up at him, her cheeks red from the cold. Klaus gave her a quick peck.

"Ready for lunch?"

She nodded.

They turned towards the counter and the cashier asked if they were looking for something special. Klaus let Caroline do the talking.

"We're having some people over for Christmas Eve, 13 people to be exact, and I was thinking that we could need some sort of cake with a twist of holiday in it."

Klaus rolled his eyes at Caroline's explanation.

_A twist of holiday in it. That's my girl._

The cashier – whose name was Clarissa, according to her name tag – nodded. "I think we can make that happen. How about this Chocolate cake?" she pointed to a beautiful white cake. "We can add some white chocolate snowflakes on top and maybe write something on it?"

Caroline hummed. "Is it completely white chocolate or is the inside, in lack of better words, normal chocolate?"

Clarissa and Klaus both laughed.

"Yes, it has normal chocolate on the inside. Double chocolate treat if you choose to go with it."

Caroline nudged Klaus, who was still laughing lightly. "I think that can work. Do you have a cake ready to go now or should we come back later?"

"The cake is ready but I'm going to need a few minutes to add the snowflakes."

"Well we need to get lunch so how about we come back after that?" Caroline looked up at Klaus who nodded in agreement. "And could you please write merry Christmas on the cake? Preferably in red. And italicize it, please."

"Absolutely. What name should I put the reservation under? In case your lunch runs long and I won't be here when you get back."

"Mr. and Mrs. Mikaelson." Caroline smiled and Klaus pulled her closer, feeling her lean her head against him.

"Okay then, I'll put it under Mikaelson. You two enjoy your lunch. The cake will be ready in about thirty minutes."

Klaus and Caroline thanked Clarissa before exiting the bakery. Once outside, Klaus looked at Caroline with a raised eyebrow.

"What?" Caroline stopped and placed her hands in his pockets, finding some extra warmth since she'd forgotten her gloves at the office.

"Mrs. Mikaelson? Aren't we getting a little bit ahead of ourselves, love?" Klaus smiled tenderly at her and placed his hands on her hips.

"Well I'm going to be Mrs. Mikaelson soon enough."

She pulled out her left hand from his pocket and raised her arm, admiring the diamond ring. She sighed, a smile appearing on her face.

Klaus couldn't help but to smile as well, he loved seeing her happy. "Do I even dare to ask how the wedding planning is going?"

Caroline shook her head. "Better not. I think you would run towards the hills before I finished talking." She giggled, wiggling out of his grip and taking his hand instead. "So…lunch? I'm starving."

Klaus nodded. "Lunch."

* * *

At six o'clock on Christmas Eve the doorbell rang. Caroline rushed out of the kitchen, apron still on and opened the door. She was greeted by three children, all yelling in union. "Auntie Caroline!"

Sage and Finn stood behind them, smiling. "They talked about you the entire car ride over."

Caroline laughed and bent down to give each little toddler a hug. "Wow, look at you guys. You're getting so big!" She looked up at Sage. "I still can't figure out how you have time to take care of triplets. Do you ever sleep?"

"I do now. They've gotten into the whole daddy-phase so Finn's the one risking sleep deprivation."

They all laughed.

"Come in, the food is almost ready. Klaus is in the living room talking with Elena, Stefan and Bonnie."

"Ah, when did your friends get here?" Finn helped his wife out of her coat.

"Last night. They've been helping out today, getting everything ready. Which helped with my stress level a lot. Especially since Marcel and Rebekah, who normally help out, are spending Christmas in London with your parents."

Caroline took their coats and hung them up, about to close the door when she noticed a familiar car pulling up. "Look who's here, guys."

Mike, Callie and Helen – the triplets – turned their heads and squealed. "It's Uncle Elijah and Auntie Katherine!"

They almost ran outside but Caroline managed to stop them. "Let's just wait inside. It's cold out."

Elijah got out of the car, walking to the other side of the door to open Katherine's door. Katherine placed her hand on Elijah's chest before reaching back into the car.

Elijah helped his wife and together they maneuvered out of the car a huge diaper bag and a baby, who was very still so Caroline had to assume that he was sleeping. She hunched down to speak to the triplets. "It looks like cousin Henry is napping so how about we stay really quiet when they get inside?"

The triplets nodded, Helen and Callie looking mesmerized by Caroline's golden necklace.

Another car called pulled up, a blue sports car, and Kol got out, grinning from ear to ear when he saw Elijah, Katherine and Henry.

Together they all walked up to the house and Caroline greeted them, eagerly taking Henry from Katherine as she got undressed.

Caroline had to resist the urge to run to the living room with Henry and announce to Klaus that she wanted a baby right away. He was just so darn cute.

"Everyone's in the living room so go ahead and make yourself comfortable. Dinner will be ready in about ten minutes."

Caroline gave herself a mental high five over the fact that she'd timed the dinner so perfectly.

* * *

"I want more 'tatoes!"

"Mike, you haven't finished all your potatoes yet. You know that you need to finish them before getting more."

The table was buzzing with conversations. Katherine and Sage were trying to have a conversation about strollers while Finn tried to get his kids to eat what was on their plates. Elijah was talking to Klaus, something about a family trip in March which Caroline thought sounded perfect. Elena was having a conversation with Stefan. And Bonnie, unsurprisingly enough, was teasing Kol about something irrelevant. Caroline had noticed about a year ago that whenever Kol and Bonnie were visiting at the same time they would start playfully bickering and flirting. Caroline couldn't wait for the day that they would figure out that they could do more than just flirt.

Something warm covered Caroline's hand and she looked down, seeing Klaus' hand on top of hers. She looked up at him and smiled. She still couldn't believe how far they've gotten since they met two years ago. He'd saved her, twice, vowed to stay by her side and Caroline had ended up getting an apartment in New Orleans. Eventually, after ten months, they'd moved in together and last Christmas Eve he'd proposed to her, asking Caroline to make him the happiest Mikaelson on the planet and becoming his life partner. She'd said yes before he'd even finished proposing.

Placing her other hand on top of his, Caroline squeezed Klaus' hand lightly.

"You alright, love?"

She nodded. "Perfect."

He smiled at her and continued holding her hand while he finished his conversation with Elijah.

At some point Henry started crying in the next room and Caroline told Katherine to sit tight while she went to check on the baby.

Helen followed Caroline and together they checked on Henry who seemed to be done with his evening nap.

"Hey, little guy. You ready to come and socializing with everyone?" Caroline picked him up, carefully cradling his head.

"Henry is sad." Helen looked up at Caroline, silently demanding her to fix the problem.

Caroline shook her head and smiled. "No, sweetheart. He's just waking up."

Helen looked confused but accepted the excuse. "Can we play now?"

"You still have food left on your plate, Helen. And your mother is threatening to put you to bed early if you don't go and finish it now." Klaus smiled as Caroline and Helen spun around, facing him. "Go on. You want to stay up with your siblings tonight, right?"

It looked like someone had kicked Helen on her behind because she was back in the dining room before Caroline could even tell her to listen to Uncle Klaus.

Henry shifted in her embrace and Caroline adjusted her grip on him, letting him rest against her chest. "You probably scared Helen to death."

Klaus shrugged. "She'll live. Now how's my youngest nephew doing?"

"Fine." Caroline looked down at Henry. At least he looked happy.

"Did Katherine send you to check up on me?" Caroline asked the question teasingly, knowing full well that out of her and Klaus, Caroline was the one with more experience with children. Even if Klaus had two nephews and two nieces.

"No, I came on my own. I wanted to see this."

Caroline raised an eyebrow. "See what?"

Klaus smirked. "You with a baby Mikaelson."

Caroline half-gasped, half-laughed. "Easy there, dear. How about you get me down the aisle first and then start planning a mini-Klaus?"

Klaus walked up to her, placing his arm around Caroline's waist, careful to leave enough space between Henry and himself. "Gladly."

They smiled at each other and Caroline kissed Klaus, holding Henry close to her. And even if he wasn't their child she could easily picture this kind of situation within the next two years. Her, Klaus and a little Mikaelson baby, living in this gorgeous house and spending Christmas with their family and friends.

Pulling back, Caroline still had a smile on her lips and Klaus stroked her cheek. "What are you smiling so much about?"

"I'm smiling because I'm so happy that you're the one who found me by the trail that day."

She watched Klaus take in her statement and how he burst into a huge smile. She loved that smile.

Klaus tightened his grip around her waist and pulled her with him towards the dining room. "Not as happy as I am."

* * *

**A/N:** I really don't know what to say right now. Thank you? Yes, thank you seems appropriate! Thank you so much for welcoming me back to with open arms and amazing feedback on this story. It's my first time writing Klaroline as a fic and not just as a one shot and it's been a wonderful experience. I wanted to write this fanfic without any pressure of being grammatically perfect or writing 5k chapters and that's exactly what I did. Still, when I look at the amount of favorites and follows I am just amazed how truly epic you guys are. So thank you. And I hope you enjoyed this fanfiction.

More importantly, I hope you have a wonderful Christmas!

xx


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